Rating: 
Summary: One of the Great Westerns
Review: If you like slow-burning westerns with phenomenal acting, this is one to see. Marlon Brando, who starred and directed, is magnificent as a brooding outlaw named Rio. After five years in a Mexican prison, Rio is on the prowl for his former partner, Dad Longworth, who betrayed him after a bank holdup. He discovers that Longworth has become a wealthy sheriff in a small coastal town. Rio makes his presence known, biding his time and allowing his former buddy to believe that the past is forgotten. But he runs into some trouble while in town. Longworth takes the opportunity to smash Rio's gun hand in a public display, then has him thrown in prison to be hanged. We're left wondering how Rio will ever get his revenge.Martin Scorcese has described this as his favorite western. Rod Serling ("Twilight Zone") worked on the first draft of the script, then Sam Peckinpah ("The Wild Bunch") was hired to rewrite it. Stanley Kubrick was the director, but was later replaced by star Marlon Brando. This is Brando's first and only stint as a director, and though it isn't perfect, it's darn good. He does tend to let scenes drag on a little long, and there were some tedious parts that probably should have been left out, but I'd say about 75-80 percent of this film hits the mark. As an actor, Brando dominates virtually every scene, drawing you in, making you feel what he's feeling. His character is a real son-of-a-b*tch, a liar and a scoundrel, but you come to empathize and root for him by the end. Pina Pellicer, who plays Rio's love interest Louisa, is a very fine actress who holds her own opposite Brando. She looks like a Mexican Audrey Hepburn. There really were no weak actors. Karl Malden, who played Longworth, is appropriately two-faced, a real "one-eyed jack". The dialogue is very authentic. I've seen westerns where they talk like modern day folks, but in "One-Eyed Jacks" the dialect is pure 19th century outlaw. It's great to hear Brando call some guy a "scum-sucking pig" or a "big tub of guts". I like westerns, and this is one of the best that I've seen. It's slow-paced, but it's so good that I didn't mind. It's very character-driven, which I like. It's great to see Brando in his prime. Released in 1961, this film had a significant influence on the revisionist westerns (Sergio Leone, etc.), which started around the mid-1960s. Thumbs up for "One-Eyed Jacks"! (There are numerous versions of this movie floating around, but from what I've read Unicorn Studio's is the one to get.)
Rating: 
Summary: One-eyed Jacks
Review: Now this is the copy to purchase. It's Dolby mixed and it's in letterbox (185:1), not mentioned on the cover. No other copies have these options. What a treat. Brando portrays the same type of brooding character that he portrays in many of his other movies, except this is a western. I love westerns. Malden, in his early career bad guy movie rolls. Did you see Nevada Smith? Ben Johnson and Slim Pickens are scum. Great cast. Get this copy before it goes out of print. It's the best copy you'll find. The cinematography is just beautiful. It takes place in Monterey, CA.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie - Really A Greek Tragedy Set in the West
Review: Based on Charles Neider's Novel,"The Authentic Life of Hendrick Jones", this is truly the finest Western you will ever see. It even surpasses "Shane" and that is a true compliment,indeed. Beautiful scenery, an absolutely intrigueing story with many unexpected turns that will hold you to your seat. As for Brando and a marvelous supporting cast,Karden Malden,Pina Pellicer,Ben Johnson,a fabulous performance by Katy Jurado, and others,see it, you will love it. Not often mentioned in reviews is the wonderful theme song by Hugo Friedhoffer as background music.Absolutely a MUST SEE-to be chewed and digested.
Rating:
Summary: Transfer hurts great film
Review: One-Eyed Jacks is a very good movie. Unfortunatly it is a very poor DVD. I have actually bought this film twice. The first time I bought it on VHS and I was very disappointed with the picture and sound quality. When I found it on DVD I should have realized that the inexpensive price meant another poor version, but I thought since it was on DVD it must be remastered. It is not and was not. In fact this is the worst DVD I have ever seen it terms of picture and sound quality. It is too bad because Marlon Brando, in the only picture he ever directed, has created a film worth seeing. Hopefully some company will realize this and give us films fans a version we can enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Brando Directs!
Review: This review refers to the BCI Eclipse(Brentwood Home Video) DVD edition of "One Eyed Jacks"(1961)..... "One Eyed Jacks", is the first and only film directed by Marlon Brando.It's a great western adventure with lots of action, romance and some great scenery.The story is a captivating one. Brando("Rio") stars with Karl Malden("Dad Longworth") as two bank robbers on the run from the Federales in Mexico, They are pinned down and only one can get away to get fresh horses for their escape. Dad is the one to go, but greed gets the best of him. He takes off with the loot and leaves Rio to be captured, and sent to a Mexican Jail for 5 long years. He escapes and goes looking for Dad, finally finding him in Monterey, California, where "Dad" is now a tough Sheriff and has a beautiful step-daughter, Louisa. The action and the romance heat up along the beautiful California coastline as Rio is bent on revenge and falls for the beautiful Louisa. Pina Pellicer won a Best Actress for her role as Louisa at the Sebastion International Film Festival, and Charles Lang was nominated for the exquiste cinematography. The film also stars Katy Jurado(always wonderful), and western legends Slim Pickens and Ben Johnson.The music by Hugo Friedhofer is beautiful and captures the essence of the story. This DVD by BCI is a decent transfer of this 42 year old film.There is not much sign of age. It's not as pristeen as you would expect from a big studio release, but you can't go wrong for the price. The colors are nice(although a bit dated) and dialouge clear.The California coastline looks very inviting. This film may also be purchased in a 4 film set of western legends. "Legends of the West"(also BCI) includes this one with "The Sundowners" starring Robert Preston and Robert Sterling,"The Big Trees" starring Kirk Douglas, and "Vengeance Valley" with Burt Lancaster and Robert Walker. This is classic Brando...enjoy...Laurie
Rating:
Summary: Some kind of samurai classic???
Review: The theme for this movie could be one of the classic samurai stories. Honor amoung thieves or something. I really enjoyed this movie for its great cast--Brando, Malden, Katy Jurado, Slim Pickens, Ben Johnson and others, the magnificent scenery of the Monterey Peninsula, and the revenge factor. Karl Malden is especially venal in his role as the amoral Dad Longworth, and Brando in his interplay with Slim Pickens is great.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't buy the Madacy DVD
Review: As many reviewers have noted, the video quality is terrible in many editions. I have only experienced the Madacy edition -- that's the one where the cover has the original poster, surrounded by a white outline and the actors' names below -- and it's terrible. I will be sticking with my laser disk until (or if) Paramount releases a studio version. My two star rating is therefore an average of a "zero" for the technical quality of the Madacy DVD and a "four" for the movie itself (which features some of the most memorable dialog ever in a western, which I understand was in no small part due to Ben Johnson -- Brando would ask him, "Ben, what's a better way to say that?" and Johnson would come up with some wonderfully colorful expression like "I hear there's dirt between ya" or "Don't be doin' her like that"). So pray for a studio edition, as this movie certainly deserves first class treatement.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie - Really A Greek Tragedy Set in the West
Review: Based on Charles Neider's Novel,"The Authentic Life of Hendrick Jones", this is truly the finest Western you will ever see. It even surpasses "Shane" and that is a true compliment,indeed. Beautiful scenery, an absolutely intrigueing story with many unexpected turns that will hold you to your seat. As for Brando and a marvelous supporting cast,Karden Malden,Pina Pellicer,Ben Johnson,a fabulous performance by Katy Jurado, and others,see it, you will love it. Not often mentioned in reviews is the wonderful theme song by Hugo Friedhoffer as background music.Absolutely a MUST SEE-to be chewed and digested.
Rating:
Summary: This is a five and I'll prove it!
Review: Folks, the average review for this movie is 3 of 5, and that is ridiculous. This is a western Classic to be sure for the following reasons. The outstanding performances turned in by two Hollywood legends as well as a tremendous supporting cast. Also, this DVD has a solid story that acts as a foundation that carries the movie throughout. The sub-plots include revenge, forbidden love, betrayal, and greed. All of this and we haven't even discussed that this movie has some of the greatest outdoor scenes ever put on film. This is not your typical western with the typical 50's sterotypes. This story introduces us to the anti-hero before that term became vougue some years later. This is a must see DVD for anyone who loves westerns.
Rating:
Summary: Which One???
Review: It is very frustrating when reviewers do not specify which version of the film they are reviewing, or in some cases distinguish between the film and the medium they watched it on. In the case of One-Eyed Jacks, there are at least seven different DVDs to choose between, yet all reviews are the same for each version. So, which version is trash and which is not??
PS. My star rating applies to the FILM, not any DVD, as I have only seen the film on TV.
Where the hell did I mention voting buttons?
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